Ironing board leg and brace structure



July 20, 1948. E. c. BOOTH 2,445,598

IRONING BOARD LEG AND BRACE STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 6, 1946 VENTOR. fhPL C 5007-,

Patented July 20, 1948 aliases IRONING BOARD LEG AND BRACE STRUCTURE Earl C. Booth, Columbus, Ind., assignor to Noblitt- Sparks Industries, Inc., Columbus, 11111., a corvporationof Indiana Application November 6, 194.8, Serial No. 708,065

BOlaims. (Cl. 38-117) My invention relates to collapsible ironing boards and more particularly to an ironing board having its front end and rear legs interconnected by links and provided with a strut or brace which extends between the rear end of the ironing board top and the lower end of the front leg and which can be released to permit the legs to be folded against the top. An example of such an ironing board is found in my co-pending patent application Serial No. 646,367 filed February 8, 1946.

It is an object of this invention to simplify and improve the construction of ironing boards of the type described, to lessen the cost of manufacture, and to provide a more rigid structure.

In carrying out my invention, instead of attaching directly to thefront leg the link which interconnect the front and rear legs, I connect the front ends of such links to the strut or brace which holds the legs extended. The lower end of such brace is attached to thefront leg adjacent the lower end thereof, and the means employed to interconnect the front leg with the brace and the brace in turn with the links is such as will permit the relative movement which oc-' curs between those parts when the legs are collapsed or extended. Desirably, the points at which the brace is respectively connected to the links and to the front legs are relatively close together in order to reduce the magnitude of any stresses imposed on the brace by the links.

The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an ironing board in extended condition; Fig. 2 is a fragmental vertimediate points of the rear legs II by legs I3, the lengths of such links and the points of their attachment to the rear legs ll being such that the front and rear legs will swing jointly from the excal view through the lower end of the front leg to Fig. 2 illustrating the condition of the links with'an opening 2i through which the front. end

and brace prior to the final step in their assembly; Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating a modified form of construction; Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the modified structure of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a fragmental plan view illustrating a further modification; Fig. 8

is a vertical section through the structure of Fig.

'l; and Fig. 9 is a sectional view illustrating a detail of construction employed in the structure of Figs. 7 and 8.

tended position illustrated in Fig. 1 to a collapsed position adjacent the lower face of the top II. To hold the legs in extended position, a brace i4 is. connected to the free end of the front leg I! and extends obliquely upwardly for releasable connection to the top I ll adjacent the rear end thereof. In the particular structure illustrated in Fig. l, the releasable connection between the upper end of the brace H and the top III is effected through the medium of a guide l5 which is pivoted to the top and which slidably receives the upper end of the brace l4. Upward movement of the brace M in the guide i5 is limited by engagement of the lower end of the guide with a fixed abutment IS on the brace; while downward movement of the brace in the guide 15 when the legs are extended is limited by engagement of a second abutment I! on the brace H with the upper end of the guide iii. The latter engagement is releasable, by moving the rear end of the brace ll upwardly to permit the abutment I! to enter the guide I'I, thus in turn permitting the legs to swing against the lower surface of the top ID.

The above construction is described merely by way of example, as this invention is not concerned with any particular means for holding the legs in extended position. Instead, this invention is directed to the means employed to interconnect the lower ends of the links l3, brace l4, and front leg l2.

In the preferred form of construction, the front leg I! is formed of a length of metal tubing bent into a general U-shape, the. ends of the tubing being .pivotally connected to the board It, as indicated at II in Fig. 1. When such a leg is used, the wall of the tubing at its outer end is provided of the brace It extends into the interior of the tube. Within the tube, the front end of the brace is provided with an opening which loosely receives a pin or rivet 22 extending diametrically across the tube. If desired, the tube may be provided with a foot ll of soft rubber or similar material: and if such a foot is employed. it is provided with an opening 2| for the end of the link i2 and may be held in place by the rivet or bolt If, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 6.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the links I: are formed of single metal rod which is bent into a general U-shape and free end of the front leg I2 is connectedto inter- 88 has its ends secured to theme! legs H, as indicated at .25 in Fig. 1. The curved intermediate portion 21, which joins the front ends of the links II, is received in a transverse groove 28 (Fig. 4) provided in the lower surface of the brace ll adjacent its point of connection with the front leg l2. As will be clear from Fig. 4, the groove 4 each of said rear legs and having one end connected thereto and the other end connected to said brace adjacent the point at which said brace is connected to the front leg, and means for releasably securing the upper end of said brace to said top to maintain the legs in extended 2! has a depth somewhat greater than the raformed; and after the curved intermediate portion is placed in the groove 28, the material at the sides of such groove is displaced inwardly, as by a staking operation, to form lips I! which overlie the link-portion 21 and prevent its removal from the groove while, at the same time, leaving the links free to swing about the axis of the groove to the limited extent necessary to permit collapse and extension of the legs II and I2.

In the modified arrangement shown in Fi 5. the brace I4 is flattened in a vertical plane, as indicated at 3|, in rear of its point of connection to the front leg II. The links l3 are made of separate rods, and their front ends are fiattened and disposed on opposite sides of the flattened portion of the brace it, as shown at 32 in end with a downwardly opening transverse groove 28, also as in the'construction of Figs. 2, 3, and 4. In this instance, however, a separate element in the form of a sheet-metal clip 36 is employed to secure the intermediate link-portion 21 in the groove 28. As will be clear from the drawing, such clip has a body portion which bridges the open side of thegroove 28 and end portions 31 which are bent to embrace the brace It on opposite sides of such groove.

All constructions described have the advantage that a single means is employed for the pivotal mounting of both of the links l3. Further, by attaching the links to the brace it rather than to the front leg I2, the problem of mounting the links on a common axis is greatly simplified.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an ironing board, a top, rear legs pivotally connected to said top near one end thereof, a front leg pivoted to said top at an intermediate point thereon, a brace member pivotally connected to said front leg near the free end thereof and extending upwardly to a point adjacent the rear end of said top, a link associated with dius of the rod from which the links I! are positions.

2. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition that said links are formed of a single metal rod bent into a general U-shape and having an intermediate portion which is pivotally mounted in said brace.

3. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition that said links are formed of a single metal rod bent into a general U -shape and having an intermediate portion, said brace being provided with a transverse groove in which said intermediate portion is pivotally received, and means for holding said intermediate leg in said groove.

4. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition that said links are formed of a single metal rod bent into a general U-shape and having an intermediate portion, said brace being.

provided with a transverse groove in which said intermediate portion is pivotally received, a portion of the material of said brace at one side of said groove being displaced to overlie said intermediate rod-portion and retain it in said groove.

5. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition that said links are formed of a single metal rod bent into a general U-shape and having an intermediate portion, said brace being provided with a transverse groove in which said intermediate portion is pivotally received, and a sheet-metal clip havin abody portion overlying said groove and ears embracing the brace at the sides of the groove.

6. In an ironing board, a top, rear legs pivotally connected to said top near one end thereof, a front leg formed of metal tubing bent into a general U-shape and having its ends pivoted to said top on a common axis intermediatethe length of the top, means interconnecting said front and rear legs for joint movement between collapsed positions and extended positions in which they act as a support for said top, and means for vreleasably retaining said legs in extended position, said means comprising a brace, said tubular front leg being provided near its free end with an opening in said wall, and a pin extending across the interior of said leg adjacent the opening in the. wall thereof, said brace extending through said opening into the interior of the tube and being there provided with an Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,445,598. Jul 20, 1948.

EARL 0. BOOTH It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column 2, line 1, for legs 13 read links 13; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conformto the record of the casein the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of September, A. D. 1948.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant C'ommissioner of Patents. 

